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Are you a BMW M4 GTS track car in disguise?

BMW is always happy to extract a little bit more gumption out of its M cars, just look at the latest 30th anniversary M5 or even the earlier CSL variants of the M3 for proof. Now, It looks like we might be getting the first glimpse of an even hotter M4, and it's wearing very interesting livery.
Our spies recently shot this M4 that could preview a future GTS version. It's all done up in MotoGP decals, but that might just be a ruse. This car sports a camouflaged lower air dam and rear wing, but those parts don't appear to be from an actual series safety car. The chin spoiler seems larger, and the rear wing is completely different. You can also spot an obvious Recaro logo on the driver's seat in one of the photos. Plus, the BMW emblem is removed at the back.
The disguised changes and odd choice of decals make this prototype incredibly weird. A BMW exec said at the beginning of the year that there were "no plans whatsoever to make a lighter, harder version just yet," of the M3 or M4, despite earlier rumors to the contrary. Check out the gallery to see what you think this is.

BMW to launch loaner program to avoid range anxiety on i models

BMW is looking to stave off electric vehicle range anxiety with a new program that offers buyers a free gasoline loaner with every i3 purchase. Ward's Auto reports BMW is confident that the EV will give buyers the kind of transportation they need for 90 percent of their trips. The loaners, meanwhile, will be available for those few occasions when drivers need to cover more ground than the machine's batteries will allow. The i3 gets around with help from a 180-horsepower electric motor paired with a lithium-ion battery pack.
The combo is good for trips of between 80 and 100 miles depending on driving habits and weather conditions, though BMW also plans to offer a model with a small two-cylinder range-extending gasoline engine as well. That option will likely set you back an additional $4,000. When the machine bows in 2014, it will likely come with a charge time of four to six hours when suckling from a 220-volt outlet.
As far as the conventionally powered loaner car goes, the cost of the program is included in the i3's purchase price, though BMW has yet to figure out how many free loans will be offered, or what happens after that threshold is reached.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i3 gets Super Bowl bump; CA funds EV readiness

Super Bowl ads sparked interest in the BMW i3 for car shoppers at Edmunds. Analysts at the automotive website reported that traffic increased for the BMW i3 by 583 percent by the end of Super Bowl XLIX, second only to the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT (up a whopping 2,189 percent). Having aired its ad in the first half of the game, the BMW i3's traffic increased 1,807 percent during halftime, while the BMW i8 saw a 501-percent spike during the same period. Read more in the press release below. Mahindra is making progress with the GenZe electric scooter and electric bicycles in Portland, Oregon. While no official launch date for the GenZe has been set for Portland, Mahindra is holding events and offering test drives. The GenZe 2.0 will start at $2,999, and offers over 30 miles of range per charge. Mahindra sees Portland as a good resource for technology and design partners as it pursues electric urban mobility. Read more in the interview with Mahindra's Yesim Erez at Portland Business Journal. The California Energy Commission will award nearly $1.3 million in Zero Emission Vehicle Readiness grants. The grants will go toward three categories: Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) Readiness Plan Implementation, PEV Readiness Plan Development and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Readiness. The funds will go towards projects like installation of EV chargers, permitting and inspections, developing local codes, EV promotion and creating hydrogen infrastructure plans. Each grant awarded will be worth between $50,000 and $300,000. Read more at Green Car Congress. Super Bowl Advertisers Mercedes-Benz and BMW See Biggest Increases in Car Shopper Interest on Edmunds.com SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz and BMW saw the most significant spikes in traffic on Edmunds.com after their ads ran during Super Bowl XLIX, according to a real-time analysis by the car shopping website. By the end of the game, the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT had the biggest cumulative spike in traffic, with a 2189% jump over previous Sunday averages on Edmunds.com. The BMW i3 captured the second most buzz on Edmunds.com; its cumulative traffic climbed 583%. "Even though these two advertised vehicles are likely to be sold in small volume to niche audiences, the BMW and Mercedes brands will enjoy the overall buzz they have generated, especially as both continue their efforts to grow their overall reach into new car shopper segments," said Edmunds.com Sr. Analyst Jessica Caldwell.